Day-trippin'

Black Mountain beckons shoppers, browsers, golfers and history buffs

Cherry Street's brick sidewalks and storefronts carry the visitor back in time.

TERRY RUSCIN/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES-NEWS

By Terry RuscinSpecial to the Times-News

Published: Sunday, January 23, 2005 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 23, 2005 at 12:00 a.m.

The Cherokee word for heaven is gkwT (pronounced ga-lu'-la-ti)). Although Indians named Black Mountain Grey Eagle (a/hl upusT, pronounced a-wa-hi-li e-u-ne-ga-e-u-s-ti), the enfolding dale surely evoked notions of heaven to regional natives. Cherokee and Catawba populated the Swannanoa Valley for more than 5,000 years. Enter non-Native settlers in 1784, the railroad in 1874, and the Cherokee flute resonated no longer between the walls of the valley.

Black Mountain had become a major pathway for westbound immigrants and commercial trade. Today, botanists, hikers and travelers seek out the village and environs for its rich heritage of music, arts and crafts, and natural beauty. Voted "Best small town in Western North Carolina" by an Asheville Citizen-Times reader's poll, Black Mountain is considered also an antique-and-new-furniture hub for the region.

Black Mountain is so called by virtue of the town's locality in the shadows of Mt. Mitchell, at the southern foot of the Appalachian Black Mountain Range. Those "black" mountains -- depending on the light -- may occur misty violet, indigo or teal-blue to the artist, but who's to argue the finer points of a 112-year-old handle?

Incorporated in 1893, Black Mountain became known as "The Front Porch of Western North Carolina." Wanting to know why, I dropped into the town's Visitors Center.

"We're cradled in the broadest spread of the Appalachian range, about 100 miles wide," answered Visitors Center volunteer Herbert Gregory, "and called the 'front porch' because we are the first settlement off the interstate from Old Fort."

When I mentioned Montreat College and its old Manor House (the latter listed with the National Register of Historic Places), executive director Bob McMurray stepped up to the plate. "We have the world's largest concentration of conference centers," he said; "Montreat is one of seven. And two colleges, both Presbyterian. There were three, including the now-defunct Black Mountain College where Dutch artist Willem DeKooning studied."

Gregory chimed in, "And there's Black Mountain Golf Club with the largest municipal hole of golf in the country, home to the 747-yard par 6 tee box."

I thanked the gentlemen and moved on to the historic 10-block downtown.

Seeing downtown

Though State St. is considered Black Mountain's Main Street, I found the brick sidewalks and storefronts along Cherry most intriguing. Here I discovered art galleries, rare books, soda fountain, deli, antiques and an old-timey saloon all housed in vintage buildings.

Intersecting Cherry St. is Sutton Ave., where one finds more shops and the handsomely preserved train depot, now a repository of crafts for sale. From the depot, head east toward Broadway to visit diminutive Centennial Park with its fine bronze sculpture of the Indians' grey eagle, then have lunch at one of Black Mountain's many eateries. Choose from German, Mexican or Cajun cuisine to seafood or burgers in any number of family-run restaurants.

Illustrious residents of Black Mountain include NBA star Brad Dougherty, singer-songwriter Roberta Flack, evangelist Billy Graham and NFL quarterback Brad Johnson. Considering the town's thriving art and music scene, the roll of the famous is bound to increase.

To visit Black Mountain, take exit 64 off I-40 and turn left (north) to N.C. 9/Broadway (about 30 miles northeast of Hendersonville and 15 miles east of Asheville).

<p>The Cherokee word for heaven is gkwT (pronounced ga-lu'-la-ti)). Although Indians named Black Mountain Grey Eagle (a/hl upusT, pronounced a-wa-hi-li e-u-ne-ga-e-u-s-ti), the enfolding dale surely evoked notions of heaven to regional natives. Cherokee and Catawba populated the Swannanoa Valley for more than 5,000 years. Enter non-Native settlers in 1784, the railroad in 1874, and the Cherokee flute resonated no longer between the walls of the valley.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>Black Mountain had become a major pathway for westbound immigrants and commercial trade. Today, botanists, hikers and travelers seek out the village and environs for its rich heritage of music, arts and crafts, and natural beauty. Voted "Best small town in Western North Carolina" by an Asheville Citizen-Times reader's poll, Black Mountain is considered also an antique-and-new-furniture hub for the region.</p><p>Black Mountain is so called by virtue of the town's locality in the shadows of Mt. Mitchell, at the southern foot of the Appalachian Black Mountain Range. Those "black" mountains -- depending on the light -- may occur misty violet, indigo or teal-blue to the artist, but who's to argue the finer points of a 112-year-old handle?</p><p>Incorporated in 1893, Black Mountain became known as "The Front Porch of Western North Carolina." Wanting to know why, I dropped into the town's Visitors Center.</p><p>"We're cradled in the broadest spread of the Appalachian range, about 100 miles wide," answered Visitors Center volunteer Herbert Gregory, "and called the 'front porch' because we are the first settlement off the interstate from Old Fort."</p><p>When I mentioned Montreat College and its old Manor House (the latter listed with the National Register of Historic Places), executive director Bob McMurray stepped up to the plate. "We have the world's largest concentration of conference centers," he said; "Montreat is one of seven. And two colleges, both Presbyterian. There were three, including the now-defunct Black Mountain College where Dutch artist Willem DeKooning studied."</p><p>Gregory chimed in, "And there's Black Mountain Golf Club with the largest municipal hole of golf in the country, home to the 747-yard par 6 tee box."</p><p>I thanked the gentlemen and moved on to the historic 10-block downtown.</p><p>Seeing downtown</p><p>Though State St. is considered Black Mountain's Main Street, I found the brick sidewalks and storefronts along Cherry most intriguing. Here I discovered art galleries, rare books, soda fountain, deli, antiques and an old-timey saloon all housed in vintage buildings.</p><p>Intersecting Cherry St. is Sutton Ave., where one finds more shops and the handsomely preserved train depot, now a repository of crafts for sale. From the depot, head east toward Broadway to visit diminutive Centennial Park with its fine bronze sculpture of the Indians' grey eagle, then have lunch at one of Black Mountain's many eateries. Choose from German, Mexican or Cajun cuisine to seafood or burgers in any number of family-run restaurants.</p><p>Illustrious residents of Black Mountain include NBA star Brad Dougherty, singer-songwriter Roberta Flack, evangelist Billy Graham and NFL quarterback Brad Johnson. Considering the town's thriving art and music scene, the roll of the famous is bound to increase.</p><p>To visit Black Mountain, take exit 64 off I-40 and turn left (north) to N.C. 9/Broadway (about 30 miles northeast of Hendersonville and 15 miles east of Asheville).</p><p>Upcoming events</p><p>Feb. 13: Valentine Run, 669-5213</p><p>Feb. 26: Black Mountain Marathon & Mt. Mitchell Challenge: 669-2300</p><p>May 13: Taste of Black Mountain, 669-2300</p><p>May 14 and 16: Lake Eden Arts Festival, 668-6874</p><p>June 4 & 5: Black Mountain Arts & Craft Show, 669-2300</p><p>A Black Mountain sampler</p><p>Berliner Kindl German Restaurant & Deli: 121 Broadway. (828) 669-5255</p><p>Black Mountain Bakery: 102 Church St. (828) 669-5255</p><p>Black Mountain Books: Rare and out-of-print. 103 Cherry St. (828) 669-8149</p><p>Black Mountain Golf Club: 1 Ross Dr. (828) 669-2710</p><p>Black Mountain Iron Works & Gallery: 120 Broadway. (888) 669-1001</p><p>Bone-a-Fide Bakery & Boutique: Homemade treats for the pampered pet. 118-C Cherry St. (828) 669-0706</p><p>Dripolator Coffeehouse: 221 W. State St. 669-0999</p><p>French Quarter Café: 203 E. State St. 669-1989</p><p>Lake Tomahawk: Northwest of downtown, off Laurel Circle Drive.</p><p>Old Depot Association & Gallery: 207 Sutton Ave. 669-6583</p><p>Reunions (antiques): 101 S. Dougherty St. 669-1966.</p><p>Song of the Wood: Handcrafted dulcimers, psalteries, harps, recordings. 203 W. State St. 669-7675</p><p>Swannanoa Valley Museum: Open April through October. 223 W. State St. 669-9566. svmuseum@buncombe.main.nc.</p><p>Town Hardware & General Store: 103 W. State St. 669-7723</p><p>Tyson Furniture Company: 109 Broadway. (828) 669-5000</p><p>Visitors Center/Chamber of Commerce: 201 E. State St. (800) 669-2301. or visit bmchamber @juno.com; www.visitblackmountain.com on the Web.</p><p>Terry Ruscin is author of Mission Memoirs, Taste for Travel, Los Duendes and the soon-to-be-released Dining & Whining.</p>